The present invention relates to coaxial and multi-conductor cylindrical connectors. Specifically, it is an improvement upon the invention of Alexander R. Brishka, U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,840, entitled "Mechanical Coupling" which issued on Jan. 1, 1974, said patent and the subject invention being owned by the same assignee.
In operation, it has been found that connectors made according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,840 have had several shortcomings as a result of their complex construction. In fact, it has been found that after a period of use they have a tendency to malfunction and fall apart, and in addition the complexity of the connectors resulted in high production costs.
Accordingly, it is an object of the subject invention to provide electrical connectors that will not fail after continued use, and are capable of being produced at lower costs.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide electrical connectors that are simple in structure yet which effectively exhibit quick connect-disconnect and positive locking features.
The connectors of the subject invention are a male jack and a female plug. The male jack is one that is standard in the connector industry. It has a tubular body having an annular groove disposed intermediate its length. The female plug connector includes a tubular outer sleeve havinga at one end an annular edge. In its interior the sleeve includes an interior locking surface of reduced diameter and a first and second interior containing surface of reduced diameter. The female plug connector further includes a tubular insert, slidably received in the outer sleeve, having at one end, longitudinally extending slits, forming slotted members to allow for radial expansion. The tubular insert further has interior protrusions of reduced diameter corresponding in configuration to the annular groove of the jack, and outer annular projections which bear against the locking surface of the outer sleeve when the female plug connector is in the locked position. The tubular insert further has a first and second outer annular containing surface.
The female plug connector further includes a first split washer bearing against the first interior containing surface of the outer sleeve and the first outer annular containing surface of the tubular insert. Also included is a second split washer which bears against the second interior containing surface of the sleeve and the second outer annular containing surface of the tubular insert. Disposed between the split washers is a helical spring for biasing the position of the outer sleeve relative to the insert.
Further included in the female plug connector is a beryillium copper retaining ring which is disposed around the slotted members of the tubular insert, between the outer annular projections of the tubular insert and the first split washer. This retaining ring provides compression to the slotted members of the tubular insert so that the interior reduced diameter protrusions of the tubular insert of the female plug will properly engage with the groove of the jack. In the neutral state the outer annular projections of the tubular insert bear against the locking surface of the outer sleeve so that the slotted members of the tubular insert may not expand.
To connect the female plug and the male jack, an axial force is placed on the outer sleeve of the plug in a direction towards the jack. As a result, the annular projections of the plug no longer bear against the locking surface of the sleeve and the slotted members of the plug insert may expand to allow entry of the jack. When the interior reduced diameter protrusions of the plug insert reach the groove of the jack the retainer ring causes them to move into the groove effecting, the engagement. As the outer sleeve is released, the helical spring causes the sleeve to return to its normal position so that the outer annular projections of the plug no longer bear against the locking surface of the sleeve and the slotted members of the plug insert may expand. The jack may thus be disconnected.